The Earworm Technique Applied in Telehealth Music Therapy Program during the COVID-19 Outbreak in China

This article describes the details of a new technique, the earworm technique, which is suitable for online music therapy in the situation of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. The technique was used in a music therapy service provided through a free and publicly available hotline in China during the outbreak, with satisfactory results. Of 103 cases, 83% were successful, 8% were helpful, 7% were unsuccessful, and 3% were incomplete. The technique is a combination of Erickson’s modern hypnosis techniques and music therapy. It is easy to train for and perform, making it suitable for a one-time intervention with online music therapy service.